Our reporter
The University of Benin (UNIBEN) is set to honor academic brilliance and infrastructural strides at its combined 49th/50th Convocation and 54th Founders’ Day celebration.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami, disclosed the institution’s remarkable achievements during a media briefing in Benin City on Monday.
A total of 385 students earned First Class honorsacross the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic sessions, with 206 students excelling in the former session and 179 in the latter.
Additionally, the university will confer degrees on 6,982 Second Class Upper, 11,199 Second Class Lower, and 525 Third Class graduates during the ceremony scheduled for Friday, November 22, 2024. The event will also witness the conferment of 316 PhD and 1,104 master’s degrees.
UNIBEN will recognise three eminent personalities with honorary doctorates for their outstanding contributions to society and the university.
Mrs. Veronica Igbe, wife of the Iyase of Benin and managing director of VESA Food, will receive an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration for her trailblazing role in Nigeria’s fish industry and philanthropy.
Chief Leemon Ikpea, CON, a magnate in oil, gas, and construction, will also receive a Doctor of Business Administration in recognition of his business achievements and support for UNIBEN.
Dr. Kingsley Momodu, a distinguished alumnus and dentist, will be conferred an Honorary Doctor of Science for his resource mobilization efforts for the university.
Prof. Salami, whose tenure concludes on December 1, 2024, reflected on her administration’s strides over the past five years. Key achievements include:
ICT advancements, with additional desktop computers for the ICT Centre and over 200 computers distributed across departments.
Renovation of the Akin Deko Auditorium and Senate Chambers, featuring state-of-the-art OLED multimedia technology.
Construction of new hostels, including the Daisy Ehanire-Danjuma Legacy Hostel and facilities sponsored by NNPC and TETFUND.
Establishment of centers of excellence, such as the Centre of Excellence in Geo-Sciences and Petroleum Engineering, supported by SHELL/NNPC.
Prof. Salami noted that the unreliable national power supply has challenged the university’s operations, but interventions such as solar energy systems sponsored by the Alumni Association have provided relief.
UNIBEN’s Convocation will not only celebrate its academic achievements but also highlight the transformative development projects that have redefined the institution under Prof. Salami’s leadership.
